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Capacity Development and Advisory Services

UN-DESA • UNDP Nicaragua

Presentation of policy notes
Managua, Nicaragua
10-13 September 2013

DPAD, in close collaboration with the UNDP Office in Nicaragua and the Government of Nicaragua, lead the presentation of policy research papers and policy notes to government officials, international economists, and academics.

Two policy research papers elaborated in collaboration with government experts were presented at three events: the Annual Conference of the Human Development and Capabilities Association, the Central Bank of Nicaragua, and the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit.

The Annual Conference of the HDCA was attended by 450 development professionals from all over the world. DPAD was invited by UNDP and the Government of Nicaragua to present the policy research papers as a way to disseminate in a broader audience some of the outputs of the project. Among the keynote speakers of the conference were Sir. Amartya Sen, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Mr. Alberto Guevara, President of the Central Bank of Nicaragua, provided remarks in the opening ceremony of the conference and mentioned the efforts that are being made to strengthen analytical capacities of policy makers in Nicaragua.

The two policy research papers, as well as three policy notes were also presented during other events: first to 150 experts at the Central Bank of Nicaragua and, subsequently, to 30 experts from different government institutions at the premises of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. The policy notes were elaborated by government experts using modelling tools that the project has transferred and on-going technical backstopping from DPAD. The notes presented addressed the following issues: (i) the impact of new investments in public infrastructure on growth and human development goals, (ii) Coffee Leaf Rust disease and its impact on productivity, economic growth and social indicators, and (iii) the impact of income tax reform on the Nicaraguan government budget and economic growth.

DPAD also provided technical support to government experts to fine-tune policy simulations for the elaboration of final policy notes. This included a revision of steps followed in using the modelling tools to design the simulations and the magnitude of changes. Suggestions were also given as to how simulations results are adequately interpreted and, more importantly, the messages one can extract from these results and how they can be transmitted to policy makers.

DPAD also held meetings with high level policy officials on the impact of the policy notes will have on informing policy makers and follow-up activities.

This marks the successful completion of activities conducted in Nicaragua under the project "Strengthening Macroeconomic and Social Policy Coherence through Integrated Macro-Micro Modelling". In January 2011, DPAD conducted the inception workshop in Managua. This was followed by the first hands-on workshop in July 2011, technical coordination meetings in December 2011, a hands-on workshop in October 2012, and a final intensive training workshop in January 2013.

The goals of the project are to strengthen the analytical capabilities of government staff in order for them to more autonomously: a) evaluate the impact of global external shocks on national development, specifically in terms of meeting the MDGs; b) formulate strategies to mitigate and compensate the adverse effects of said shocks; and c) be better able to anticipate and prepare for crises and avoid setbacks on the path to human development.